Faculty Senate February 9 meeting re-cap

Fundraising, Faculty Retreat and Pay Issues Addressed at EPCC February Senate Meeting

Special to Tejano Tribune

Carlos Amaya named VP Instruction & Workforce

By Christopher McDonald

            El Paso Community College staff introduced a new VP of Instruction, discussed fundraiser distribution, debated adjunct payment issues, and more at the Faculty Senate Meeting on Feb. 9. Speakers introduced Carlos Amaya as the new vice president of instruction and workforce education. Amaya graduated with a Ph.D. in biology and has experience as a dean and faculty member.

“Instruction is always in my heart because that’s where I come from,” Amaya said. “It’s where innovation happens, because of faculty and your interaction with the students.”

After Amaya’s introduction, Georgina Hernandez from United Way of El Paso, a nonprofit focused on basic needs, presented on a recent campaign. “Last year, you all raised $9,000 through this campaign,” Hernandez said. “Everything we do stays local; we partner up with organizations like El Paso Community College and we raise funds via payroll deduction.” Hernandez emphasized their support for local organizations involved in health, education, financial stability, and basic needs. She also said their services are available to students and staff at the Valle Verde, Mission Del Valle, and Rio Grande campuses on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays respectively.

“We provide navigation services to any student or any of the faculty members: anyone here that can come in and is going through a financial or housing instability,” Hernandez said.

Renee Castaneda from Kendra Scott also spoke on the ongoing EPCC Adjunct Fellowship Emergency Fund fundraiser held by the jewelry store on Feb. 13, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. “You buy anything from the store and then just mention the fundraiser for EPCC and 20% of your purchase will go to the fund,” Castaneda said. “Also, Saturday all-day online, you can shop online and it’ll put you the access code for checkout and 20% of that will go toward the fund.”

Castaneda mentioned faculty will receive an educator discount if they choose to participate. Assistant professor of business Wayne Diggs then spoke about a proposed faculty retreat.

“The purpose is just for us to get together as a collective body, get to know each other, and have a fun day together,” Diggs said. He then asked attendees to raise their hands if interested and was met by a majority response in favor of the event. “There will probably be some minor training stuff, some team building, but it will also be a fun day,” Diggs said.

The presenters then addressed the adjunct pay delay issues initially raised in 2023. During the meeting Vice President Pat Barrientos said some adjunct staff did not receive January pay and were unaware they could request expedited payment.

“The primary reason cited for these delays involved revisions made to adjunct FAAFs after they had already been submitted to payroll in December,” Barrientos said during the meeting. FAAFS, or Faculty Assignment/Action Forms, according to EPCC Board Policy the FAAF is an official EPCC form generated by the dean’s office at the start of each academic semester. FAAFs document the assigned workloads for all faculty, including adjuncts, and reflects how much the faculty member is supposed to receive.

After further discussion about the issue at the meeting, the attendees approved a motion to develop formal language addressing adjunct pay timing in August and January and recommend its inclusion in official college procedure. The meeting closed with unanimous support to formalize language for adjunct pay protections.